Improved self-adjusting reclining-chair



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARCUS STEVENS, OE DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVED SELF-AQDJUSTING RECLiNlNG-CHAIR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 27,&S3, dated March 13,1860.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be 'it known that I, MARCUS SrEvENs, of Detroit, in the county of Wayneand State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usethe accompanyingdrawings, is such a full and clear description thereof as to enableothers skilled in such matters to make and use my invention.

My improvement has reference to that description of recumbent chairs inwhich the seat, back, arms, and front or apron are made capable of jointmotion and partake of a parallelogramic action--the seat with the armsand the back with the front-to adapt the chair either to a sittingposture or to a variable recumbent one with a rest or supportfor thelegs of the occupant. Such chairs have been variously constructed, andit is a matter of no small importance to so construct them as that,while they shall be perfect in their action and durable, complication ofparts is avoided. These results my improvements are calculated to effectmore advantageously than most or all other previous constructions ofsuch chairs.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side View of theskeleton or framework of achairconstructed according` to my improvementwith the parts in the positions they occupywhen arranged for an extremerecumbent position; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same with theparts as arranged for a sitting posture Fig. 3, a front View of thechair, and Fig. 4: a view of my improved reversible footboard detached.

The body or stationary f rame A of the chair is of any suitable form andsize. The adjustable seat B is connected at its front by hinges ato thefront frame or apron-piece O, which has braces b rmly secured to it atits sides. These braces project above the junction of the seat with thefront, and are attached at their upper ends by hinges c to the arms I)in front, and also are hung on pivots d to the bodyA at a levelintermediate of the seat and arms. Hinges c connect the seat at its rearto the adjustable back E at its bottom, and other hinges f serve toimite the rear ends of the arms with the back. The back E may or may notbe hung on pivots secured to the body corresponding with the pivots onwhich the braces b are hung. The absolute necessity for such additionalpivots is avoided by the attachment of the front ends or short sides ofthe parallelogrammic j ointed structure which embraces the seat, arms,front, and back to the body by the pivots d, on which the braces arehung, in combination with a peculiar coustruction of side pieces E tothe back end of frame A, where said side pieces tit on or over. The sidepieces E may correspond in their general contour to the sides proper ofthe back, against which they lie, and are made capable of removal fromto facilitate changing the cover to the back; but they do not project aslow as the sides proper, and are not like the latter arranged to liewithin the stationary frame or body but over it, so as to admit ofestablishing at their lower ends what is termed in anatomy anarticulation joint with the body. This is done by a free circular gearor junction of the lower ends of the side pieces with or on or over therear upper ends of the body, and, further, by notching the body at itsback, as at g, and leaving a butt or projection 7i on the lower ends ofthe side piece or otherwise equivalently con` structing the side piecesand the body at their free junction with each other, so that when theback E is thrown to its extreme recumbent position the back is locked or'stopped from further rear play and supported by the butt and notch gand 7L on either side. Even when rear pivots be used to suspend the backon the body an articulation-joint connection of the back with the bodywill greatly relieve the pivots from strain and wear, and in case of therear pivots breaking or becoming loose or too free in their sockets theback will still be firmly supported and objectionable rattle or shake ofit prevented. Likewise, the manner herein previously described ofhinging the front O to the seat B, in combination with the braces l),hinged to the arms D, and fastened to the sides of the front O, notmerely materially strengthens the front or apron and steadies the arms,but it effects great siniplicity in construction and requires a lessnumber of parts or independent pieces than is usual to other chairs ofsimilar character. Further, it is usual to provide recumbent chairs ofthis class or general character with a foot-board at the bottom ot' thefront piece the recumbent position of the chair.

or apron for the feet of the occupant to rest upon. Suchfoot boards aresometimes hinged to the front arm made capable of changing theirpositions to adapt them to changes in The have been made to fold up andto trail upoi the ground, and instead of being hinged to the front madeof a flexible material or flexibly hung; but all such previousconstructions have been objectionable either in the footboard wanting`firmness when set to occupy a fixed position or in its assuming anawkward or inconvenient position in certain sets or in its not beingconveniently detachable when it is felt to be in the way,k

To obvate all of these objections I construct the foot-board G so as notonly to be readily detachable, but also reversible in relation to thefront or apron C by, say, making it with recesses i at either end, theback ends of which it into notches K cut in the front legs of the chair,while the inner intermediate portion of the board laps under the lowercross-rail in front when the foot-board is required to project from thechair as a rest for the feet. Then the foot-board is not required tooccupy this position, it is readily drawn out in front, and when it isdesired to arrange said board so as t0 form a flat surface across theapro11-piece in front as a support for the legs of the occupant whenreclining I slip the board into hooks m in the backs of the front legsof the chair and from which it is readily detachable by simply liftingon it.

What I claim as new and useful herein isl. The arrangement of the apronor front piece C, hinged to the seat, in combination with the braces b,secured to the sides of the apron and hinged to the arms D and pivotedto the stationary frame or body ot' the chair between the arms and theseat, substantially as shown and described.

2. The detachable foot-board, in combination with the hooks in the backsof the front legs and made reversible relatively to the front or apronpiece of the chair for attachment thereto at pleasure in either of thetwo directions specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification beforetwo subscribn g witnesses.

MARCUS STEVENS.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. ENswoRrH, RACINE M. DARWIN.

